Impact
by kira1525
Summary: And Kageyama knew, without a doubt, that the sight of Hinata laying motionless on the polished floor would haunt him forever. Rated T for know but may go up later.
1. Chapter 1

Hey everybody! This is the result of one of many plot bunnies that savagely maimed me in the past few weeks, so I've decided to post it here. I hope you all enjoy it!

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 _It shouldn't have happened._

 _This couldn't be real._

 _There was no way that Hinata, obnoxious, energetic, pain in the ass Hinata, was the same person now laying on the gymnasium floor, limp and unresponsive._

"Hinata! Hinata, wake up, damn it!" Kageyama was kneeling beside his fallen teammate, eyes wide and hands shaking as he tried to wake the orangette.

He vaguely registered his teammates gathered around the fallen crow and could hear Ukai distantly, but none of that mattered.

"Wake up, damn it!"

"-eyama! Kageyama, you've gotta move!" The setter tuned in as Tanaka's voice broke through and suddenly he was being pulled away. He tried to fight against the second year but Asahi quickly got in front of him.

"We need to get out of the way," the ace said, and Kageyama understood what he meant as the campus medics rushed over to the unconscious decoy.

Coach Ukai appeared and ushered the whole team back, giving the medics a wide berth as they carefully loaded Hinata onto the stretcher and headed out of the gym, Takeda-sensei following them closely.

It wasn't until the stretcher was out of view that Kageyama's senses filtered back in. He could hear Yachi crying loudly, and Kiyoko trying to comfort her. He could hear Daichi and Suga talking; trying to figure out what had gone so wrong. Nishinoya and Tanaka were boasting loudly about how tough Hinata was, how thick his skull was. They were doing their best to lift the teams' spirits, even with fear on their faces and tears gathering in their eyes.

He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up to see Coach Nekomata there.

"Ukai" Nekomata called, the other coach coming over.

"I can only imagine how anxious your team is to see their fallen comrade. My team and I have decided to call it a tie, if you guys accept."

Ukai looked at his team who offered solemn nods in return.

"Thank you, Coach Nekomata." Ukai bowed to the older man.

The other coach just shook his head. "You don't need to thank me. No game score is worth more than the players. Now go tend to your boy and return when you can."

"Thank you," Ukai bowed again.

"C-Coach Ukai…" Lev was there, eyes red and wet.

"I-I'm so sorry!" He bowed. "I never meant-"

"Stop right there. You have nothing to apologize for."

"B-but if I hadn't spiked so hard-"

"You were only giving it your all, just like Hinata was. He got too excited and jumped early, so don't think for even a second that you're at fault here. It was an accident, that's all."

Lev bit his lip hard and looked down at his shoes.

XXXXXX

" _Kuroo, nice receive!"_

" _Yamamoto, cover!"_

 _Kenma got ready for the ball._

" _To me!" Lev called, running towards the net._

" _Lev!" Kenma got the ball and sent it to the lanky first year._

" _Not this time, Lev!" Hinata declared, jumping up to block him._

 _Lev smirked at the tiny blocker and brought his arm down like a whip, aiming for the space between Hinata's arms._

 _His hand connected with the ball but his smirk fell and fear took over when suddenly Hinata's face was there, his incredible jumping power bringing him up higher._

' _No!' he panicked, desperately trying to flub his delivery, but it was already too late for that._

 _The ball rocked forward, and it played out like it was in slow motion. He saw the look on Hinata's face as he realize what was about to happen, and then the ball was there, smashing into the decoys face._

 _The momentum of the ball sent Hinata's head rocking back, his body following a step behind in a loose arch as he fell head first._

 _The sickening thud of Hinata's head hitting the polished floor had stomachs clenching painfully._

 _A moment passed._

 _A breath. And then there was chaos as the Karasuno team rushed to their teammate who was splayed out on his back, lying frightfully still._

 _Lev felt numb, the room spinning around him in nauseating circles as his body battled between throwing up and passing out._

" _B-bathroom" he choked out, handing flying up to cover his mouth as he made a mad dash out of the gym._

 _Kuroo appeared at his side to comfort his junior as Lev threw up everything he'd eaten that morning. By the time he'd washed his face and built up enough courage to go back out, Hinata was gone and the coaches were talking._

XXXXXX

"Volleyball isn't necessarily a dangerous sport, but it has its risks. We all know that, and no one blames you for what happened." Ukai assured him, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"Coach Ukai is right. We don't blame you. Not even a little."

Lev looked over and saw Daichi standing there, the rest of the Karasuno team behind him. They all nodded in agreement with their captain, and Nishinoya even offered a thumbs up.

"When Hinata wakes up, he won't blame you either." They all looked at Kageyama, then nodded.

"Yeah!"

"That's right!"

"He'll probably laugh about it!"

Lev looked over the Karasuno team and nodded, eyes welling up with tears. "Th-thank you," he bowed to them all.

A hand landed on his other shoulder and he looked up to see Daichi grinning at him.

"We're headed to go see Hinata," he told him. "The Nekoma team is welcome to visit once practice is over."

"I think we're done for the day," Kuroo announced.

"Agreed." Kenma said. Seeing that the rest of the team was on board, the coach nodded.

"There you have it, Coach Ukai. We'll follow your bus."

With that, the teams scattered, gathering their things and lining back up in record time.

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"Takeda-sensei" Ukai called out when he spotted the teacher as the team spilled into the waiting room. Takeda stood and met them in the middle.

"How is he?"

"Where's Hinata?"

"Can we see him?"

"Everybody calm down!" Ukai ordered when everyone started asking questions all at once. Takeda waited for them to fall silent before reporting.

"The doctors said it's a pretty severe concussion. Because his head hit the floor first, there's a lot of concern for internal bleeding or brain damage. They're ordering a CT scan."

The entirety of Karasuno held their breath and the air was tense as Nekoma walked in, seeing crestfallen expressions.

"Tch. Hinata barely had a brain to begin with. I highly doubt there's enough in that empty skull of his to damage anyway." They all looked at Tsukishima, ready to be angry with him for being such an insensitive jerk, but stopped when Tanaka started to laugh.

"He's right! Hinata is such an airhead, I'll be surprised if they even _find_ a brain!"

The others were quiet for a moment before Kenma tipped his head back and laughed, surprising his teammates. The tension in the room broke and others joined in the laughter, others just grinning or shaking their heads in amusement.

Takeda shot a grateful look in Tsukishima's direction. While it may have been an unconventional approach, the first year's snide comment had lightened the mood in the room, even if only by a little.

The teens started to get themselves situated around the waiting room, but with two full volleyball teams the seats filled quickly and several found themselves sitting on the floor.

"I grabbed some cards before we left. Anyone wanna play?" A Nekoma member held up a jumbo deck of cards. A group gathered around in a circle as they settled in for what could be a very long wait.

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Kageyama sighed through his nose as he looked at the choices in the vending machine. It'd been almost two hours and they still hadn't heard any news on Hinata's condition.

Some people had fallen asleep, some were on their phones, some playing cards still. Anything to pass the time and help keep their minds off what may or may not be happening beyond those double doors.

Finally deciding on milk –surprise surprise- Kageyama hit the corresponding button and waited for it to dispense.

"Yo, Kageyama. We're starting a new game of war, wanna jump in?" Kuroo called.

"Kay," Kageyama nodded, grabbing his milk and going over.

Just as he was about to sit down, the double doors opened and a doctor came out. His eyes widened when the suddenly found himself at the center of attention of two entire volleyball teams.

Takeda, Ukai, and Nekomata approached him, snapping him out of his daze.

"Which one of you is the teacher?"

"That's me," Takeda said. He pulled out Hinata's permission slip that his mom signed for the trip. It made him the temporary guardian of the kids while they were away, for instances like this one.

The doctor looked it over then nodded, satisfied with the contents.

"So, how is he?"

"Stable. The results from the CT scan came back," Everyone held their breath, "and there's no visible damage or bleeding."

Waves of relief washed through the room, Takeda's knees nearly giving out on him as he processed the news.

"However," breaths hitched around the room, "we want to keep him overnight for observation. Just as a precaution, you understand."

Everyone let go of the breaths they'd been holding as the tension level in the room dropped significantly.

"Yes, I understand." Takeda said, nodding.

"Good. He's still asleep for the time being, but you're welcome to go in and see him."

The doctor realized his mistake as everyone tried to move at once. He held his hands up to stop their advance. "No more than four at a time, would be best."

Ukai nodded. "Right. Takeda-sensei, Daichi, Sugawara. We'll go first."

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Gifts and flowers from the hospital gift shop filled up Hinata's bedside table and spilled over to the floor as everyone paid their respects to the injured crow.

"He's so quiet and still… it's unnerving." Kenma murmured, looking down at the prone figure.

"Yeah. I don't think I've ever seen him this still for any length of time." Kuroo said. "According to his teammates he even moves around in his sleep." The Nekoma captain chuckled.

Lev bit his lip hard. "This… this is all my fault…"

"Don't start with that again" Kuroo said with a frown. "It's not your fault, or anyone's. Besides, you heard what Coach Ukai said. We all know the risks we face on the court, especially as blockers. It was a slip up, and there's nothing anyone could have done."

"R-right…"

Kuroo nodded in satisfaction. "Anyways, let's get out of here. I'm sure the hospital would like their waiting room back."

Lev and Kenma nodded, saying their goodbyes to the fallen crow before following Kuroo out of the room.

XXX

"Well, we're gonna clear out now," Coach Nekomata said. "I'm sure the hospital staff are tired of having a bunch of rambunctious teens clogging up their waiting room, so I'll take mine and go."

"Alright. Thank you for coming, I know it'll mean a lot to Hinata when he wakes up." Ukai smiled and shook hands with the other coach before Nekomata rounded up his team and headed out.

Ukai sighed and looked back at his team. Yachi and Kiyoko were just coming back from Hinata's room, fresh tears in their eyes.

"Who hasn't been in yet?" he asked.

Everyone was surprised when Kageyama raised his hand.

Ukai nodded at him. "You can go then."

The setter nodded and disappeared through the double doors without a word.

"I thought Kageyama would've been one of the first ones in," Tanaka said after the first year was out of sight.

Tsukishima scoffed. "Someone as emotionally constipated as him? It only makes sense that he wouldn't want others in the room with him."

There was a moment of silence before Suga spoke up.

"Yeah, I think you're right. They may fight all the time, and they hated each other at first, but now-a-days, they're nearly inseparable…"

Murmurs of agreement spread through the gathered teens as they all glanced at the doors their stoic teammate had gone through.

"For better or worse, those two are partners."

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Eerie.

That's the only word that could describe how Kageyama felt looking down at his partner. Seeing someone who's usually so animated and energetic laying so perfectly still was eerie.

"Tch. You just have to be the centre of attention, don't you, dumbass?" Kageyama asked, pulling a chair to the edge of the bed and lowering himself into it.

There was no response from the smaller teen, not that he'd expected one anyways.

The dark haired setter leaned back in the chair and watched the steady rise and fall of Hinata's chest.

' _It's ironic,'_ he thought to himself. _'Normally, Hinata falling asleep is a blessing, because he's finally quiet. And now I'm just praying he'll wake up…'_

Kageyama grit his teeth as another, unwelcome thought flitted to the front of his mind.

' _What if he doesn't wake up?'_

The setter shook his head violently, as though he could literally shake off the bad thought. Hinata _would_ wake up, damn it!

He and Hinata had certainly had a rocky start, but together, they were invincible. Even the _thought_ of playing volleyball without the orange haired monster at his side, never tossing to him again…

"NO!" Kageyama growled out loud and stood. "He's gonna wake up." He looked down at the grounded crow and pointed at him dramatically. "You hear that, dumbass Hinata? You're gonna wake up."

A soft scoff nearly stopped his heart.

"Yes, _your highness._ "

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A/N: Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed it.

Reviews feed the plot bunnies :)


	2. Chapter 2

**a/n: Hey folks! Here's chapter two of impact! It's not very long, but it's something. I hope you like it!**

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 **Previously;**

 **He and Hinata had certainly had a rocky start, but together, they were invincible. Even the** _ **thought**_ **of playing volleyball without the orange haired monster at his side, never tossing to him again…**

" **NO!" Kageyama growled out loud and stood. "He's gonna wake up." He looked down at the grounded crow and pointed at him dramatically. "You hear that, dumbass Hinata? You're gonna wake up."**

 **A soft scoff nearly stopped his heart.**

" **Yes,** _ **your highness.**_ **"**

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Kageyama looked at his teammate and nearly cried in relief when hazy brown eyes were looking back at him.

"Hinata!" he gasped, then scowled when the decoys words registered. "What did you just call me?!"

The orange haired pipsqueak smirked up at him.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I thought I heard you ordering me around, like some self-centered king."

"You little brat!" Kageyama roared.

Hinata laughed, but the sound was cut off when he winced and brought a hand up to his head.

"Hinata? Are you ok? Let me get a nurse." The setter jogged to the door and poked his head out, calling for someone.

"My head hurts," Hinata whimpered softly as Kageyama came back over to sit at his bedside.

"I'd be more worried if it didn't, considering you smashed it off the gym floor."

"Is that what happened…? I just remember seeing the ball coming towards my face…."

Kageyama nodded. "The ball knocked you out, and when you fell, your head hit the floor first," he explained. He nearly flinched when the scene replayed in his head and the sick thud resounded in his brain.

"Whoa, really? That sounds scary!"

"It was, dumbass! We thought you were seriously hurt, or worse!"

The door opened before Hinata could respond, and a nurse walked in.

"Mr. Hinata, it's good to see you awake." The nurse smiled at him. "You've had quite the crowd of people waiting on you. In fact, I haven't seen our waiting room so full in the whole 8 years I've worked here."

"Crowd…?" Hinata looked at Kageyama for answers.

"The whole team is here, and Nekoma was here too."

"R-really…?" the decoy teared up.

"Yup" Kageyama nodded and gestured to the bedside table at the collection of stuffies, balloons, and flowers.

Hinata covered his face to hide the few tears that escaped.

The nurse smiled at the boys as she took Hinata's vitals, asking the orangette a few questions, like what day his birthday was and if he knew the date. Once he'd successfully answered them all, she nodded in satisfaction.

"Alright, you seem to be doing ok. I'll go tell the others that you're awake."

"Ok, thank you." Hinata smiled up at her. She smiled back and left, closing the door softly behind herself.

It wasn't long before the door flew back open and Tanaka and Noya barged in, tripping over each other in their haste to try and both fit through the door way.

Hinata grinned at the two as Daichi appeared, stepping over the two with a roll of his eyes. The rest of the team did the same as they spilled in, quickly filling the small room.

"It's good to see you awake, Hinata." Ukai said, standing by the foot of the bed. "You gave us all a real scare."

"Sorry…"

Ukai waved off his apology.

"More importantly, how do you feel?" Takeda asked from where he stood at Ukai's side.

"My head hurts," Hinata admitted.

"No surprise there," Tanaka said.

"Yeah, it'd be more surprising if it didn't." Suga patted his calf lightly.

"Yeah, Kageyama told me I fell pretty hard."

"Told you?" Noya parroted.

"You mean you don't remember?" Suga inquired with a small frown.

Hinata shook his head. "I only remember seeing the ball coming right for my face."

"Then the hit must have knocked you out cold." Asahi surmised.

A wave of general agreement went through the room.

"Well regardless of what happened, you're ok now. The doctor said you don't have any brain damage, so aside from the shiner on your face, you're good to go." Ukai reported.

"My face?"

Kiyoko nodded and pulled a compact mirror from her bag. "Here" she handed it over.

"Whoa!" Hinata gasped, shocked to see that he had a black eye and bruising all along his upper cheek. "I look totally cool!"

"Heck yeah! You can show off your war wounds at school! The girls will totally fawn all over you!" Tanaka cheered, Noya agreeing whole heartedly, both of them getting fired up.

Tsukishima rolled his eyes when Hinata joined in. "Simpletons."

The rest of the team laughed, the three hyperactive idiots laughing as well, but it was short lived when Hinata brought his hands up to his head, grimacing.

"Hinata, are you ok? Do you need the nurse?" Takeda asked quickly, concerned for the student.

"N-no it's ok. It's just a headache."

Takeda frowned but nodded. "Sorry, we're kind of loud."

Tanaka and Noya looked guilty. "Sorry," they said in unison, rubbing the back of their heads sheepishly.

Hinata just shrugged a little. "So, who won?"

"No one," Ukai answered. "After you got hurt, we called it a tie."

"Oh…" the orangette frowned. "I'm sorry you had to stop the game because of me…" the decoy looked down at his lap sadly.

"If you're gonna throw a pity party, I'm leaving." Kageyama said with a scowl.

"Wha- I'm not!" Hinata protested, frowning at his partner.

"Don't worry about it, Hinata." Daichi interrupted before the two could start fighting. "We stopped the game because we wanted to, not because we had to. We're a team, after all."

"Yeah," Suga nodded. "It would just feel wrong to continue a practice match while you were in the hospital. Especially since we didn't know what sort of shape you were in…"

Hinata looked around at his team, still in their jerseys and crammed into his little hospital room. Warmth flooded his chest and he teared up.

"Thank you," he said softly.

Tanaka and Noya teared up as well. "It's our honour!" they cried.

Tsukishima rolled his eyes at them.

Ukai grinned at his team, proud of the camaraderie they were displaying.

Hinata looked over at Kageyama and grinned at him. The setter just gave a little nod in return. He was relieved to see his partner awake and animated once more and decided then and there that he'd take the bickering and yelling over that eerie silence any day.

"So, when can we leave?" Hinata asked.

"They're keeping you overnight for observation."

"WHAAAAAAT?!" Hinata protested loudly.

On second thought…

Kageyama growled and reached over, punching Hinata's shoulder. "Shut up, dumbass Hinata!"

Suga gave Hinata a sympathetic smile. "Hinata, you hit your head really hard, so they want to make sure you're ok."

The orangette looked over at Suga and pouted.

"Besides, with a head injury, there's no way you'll be fit to play again right away." Tsuki said. The room fell quiet, the Karasuno volleyball team holding their breath as they waited for the inevitable explosion.

"WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?!"

The team released a collective sigh as Takeda tried in vain to settle the angry decoy down, several noting in amusement that Kageyama also seemed shocked by the news.

"Listen, Hinata," Daichi's stern tone cut over the orangette's protests. "If you don't let your body heal properly from the concussion, it'll only get worse and then you'll have to sit out even longer."

Hinata looked torn between holding onto his arguments, or just caving in.

Suga smiled and pat his leg "We all want you back in the game as soon as possible-"

"-speak for yourself" Tsuki muttered

"-but in order for that to happen, your body needs time to heal itself. Understand?"

The ace-wannabe sat quietly for a moment before finally letting his shoulders sag. "Understood…" he murmured.

"Good." Suga nodded in satisfaction then looked at Kageyama sternly. "That means you can't be helping him train in secret, Kageyama."

The setter startled in surprise and they knew without a doubt that's exactly what he'd been thinking. Based on the way Hinata slumped even further, the half of the freak duo had also been thinking it.

Ukai tipped his head back and laughed as Suga started to scold them both for even _thinking_ of sneaking in practice when Hinata was supposed to be _resting._

Fond smiles and exasperated head shakes went around the room before the rest of the team –minus Tsuki- joined in on Ukai's laughter.

The atmosphere was pretty light after that, everyone sharing easy conversation and banter for the next few minutes, before the door opened, and the doctor looked in.

"Oh, hello Doctor," Takeda made his way through the gaggle of students to the man.

The doctor smiled at him. "Good evening everyone."

"Good evening," they greeted back, bowing as best they could in the limited space.

"I understand you're all excited to see your teammate awake and well, but visiting hours are nearly over, and I would like to give the young Mr. Hinata some pain medication." He glanced at Hinata. "I'm sure he could use it." Hinata nodded reluctantly.

"Right," Takeda nodded, "we understand."

"Alright you lot, go out to the waiting room." Ukai addressed the team, making shooing motions.

There were a few complaints, but they all said their goodbyes and headed out, only Kageyama disobeying.

Ukai noticed him and made to reprimand the teen, but Takeda put a hand on the coach's arm and shook his head silently. The adults had a silent conversation before Ukai surrendered with a sigh.

"Right," the doctor spoke after the exchange was over. "I'm going to give Hinata some morphine. It'll take away the pain and help him sleep."

"Ok, as long as Hinata's ok with that." Takeda looked over at Hinata who was looking a little pale.

"M-morphine…?" he whimpered softly.

"It's like I just said, it'll take away your pain, and you'll be able to sleep for the night."

The orangette didn't look any less pale, and no one was surprised when he reached –maybe subconsciously- for his partner. Kageyama responded without hesitation, taking Hinata's hand and squeezing it a bit.

"Hinata..?" Takeda walked over to the other side of the bed.

"I… I don't like needles… a-and I don't want to be here overnight by myself…."

The teacher and coach were reminded suddenly how young their decoy was, reclined in the hospital bed and looking ready to cry.

"Hey, it's ok Hinata. You can trust the doctors and nurses. They'll take care of you." The brunette teacher put a hand on Hinata's shoulder, but his words seemed to have no effect on his student, who still looked terrified.

Kageyama frowned and squeezed Hinata's hand. "I'll stay."

The firm statement made the adults in the room look at the dark haired setter.

"Sorry, visiting hours are over." The doctor said.

"Kageyama, don't be unreasonable" Ukai said when he saw the setter getting ready to argue.

"I want him to stay," Hinata said, looking at the adults.

"Young man, I just finished saying that visiti-"

"If Kageyama doesn't stay, I'm not taking the morphine!" The orangette said.

The doctor frowned and looked at Takeda. "As his acting legal guardian, you can give us consent."

"Even if he did," Hinata interrupted as Takeda opened his mouth to answer, "you'd have to catch me first." Hinata's tone was defiant and his jaw set in a firm line.

"Young man," the doctor sounded frustrated. "That is no way to speak to your elders. If your legal guardian authorizes it-"

"No."

Everyone looked at Takeda, the doctor scowling.

"Doctor, I understand where you are coming from, but if Hinata is uncomfortable with getting morphine and being alone, then I can't in good conscience, force it upon him. Surely there is some sort of compromise to be reached?"

The man frowned and crossed his arms. "Well, if he agrees to take the morphine, then I suppose I could release him tonight." He didn't sound too thrilled about it. "But you'd have to come back first thing in the morning for a checkup." He added firmly, seeing Hinata grinning at his partner.

"Of course! I'll bring Hinata in to see you myself." Takeda smiled brightly at the doctor who sighed but nodded. "Very well. I'll go get the morphine."

Ukai and Takeda watched the man leave the room before turning to look at the volleyball duo, who seemed to be communicating without words, hands still locked between their bodies.

Hinata looked nervous. Knowing that the next time the door opened there'd be a needle just for him had his anxiety steadily rising with every passing moment.

When the door finally did open, Hinata nearly whimpered. A nurse came in, smiling sweetly at the rooms occupants.

"Hello Hinata," she greeted kindly.

"H-hi" he choked back, his grip on Kageyama's hand tightening painfully. He'd gone from nervous to terrified, prompting Ukai and Takeda to go stand at his side by Kageyama.

"It'll be ok, Hinata. Once the shot is done, we'll go back to the school." Takeda put his hand on Hinata's calf.

The nurse came to the other side of his bed and offered a kind smile. "I know you're scared sweetie, but it'll be over before you know it, ok?"

Hinata nodded shakily, watching as the nurse rolled up his jersey sleeve.

"Don't watch, sweetie."

The orangette looked away but couldn't bring himself to close his eyes. He looked around frantically for something that he could focus on. His eyes locked with dark blue eyes and he let out a shaky breath. Kageyama squeezed his hand once, then brought his other hand to rest on top.

Hinata took a second to ponder the double grip, when the needle slid into his skin. The morphine _burned_ as it was injected, and he must've made some sort of motion that indicated his desire to pull away, because his hand was squeezed again. His focus was pulled back to Kageyama's eyes again and he reflexively mimicked his partner when Kageyama took a deep breath and released it.

"There, all done!" the nurse's voice filtered in and Hinata looked over to see the nurse cleaning up his arm. She put a band aid over the tiny pinprick then smiled. "You're gonna start feeling woozy soon, so let your friend help you walk if you need it, ok?"

Hinata nodded numbly, already starting to feel the effects coursing through his limbs and making him feel heavy.

The nurse nodded back and gave the adults a few quick instructions before cleaning up and leaving.

"Ok, let's go Hinata." Ukai said.

"Right…" Hinata nodded and moved to the edge of the bed, taking a moment to wonder when Kageyama had let go of his hand. He dismissed the unnecessary thought and stood, only to gasp when his legs didn't want to co-operate.

Kageyama was there before he could fall, and the orangette felt like he was moving slow motion as he turned his head to look at the setter.

"Oops," he murmured as his arm was pulled over Kageyama's shoulder. The taller teen had to crouch to do so, but it offered Hinata the support he needed as they started their slow but steady journey out of the hospital room.

He's not sure when they closed, but the next time Hinata opened his eyes, they were on the bus. After that, he found himself looking up at Asahi and he vaguely registered that the ace was carrying him. The last memory he has of the night is being tucked into his futon and watching Kageyama reach over from the neighboring futon and entwining their fingers.

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A/N: Thanks for reading! I hope it wasn't bad.

I decided to give Hinata a fear of needles because it's a common fear and I myself am scared of them. Also for anyone who's never had morphine, it sucks. It burns on the way in and while everyone reacts differently to the effects, most people end up passing out, or at the very least very out of it.

Reviews feed the plot bunnies. :)


	3. Chapter 3

The next morning came too quickly for Hinata, the young decoy waking to the sounds of merciless teasing and angry denials.

He frowned to himself as consciousness slowly won, making him slowly open his eyes. When his vision cleared, Hinata was confused and a little terrified to find that he was the focus of several sets of eyes.

"Ummm…..?" Hinata looked up at his teammates, who were crowded around him. Several of them wore smirks –see Tsuki, Noya and Tanaka- while the others had expressions he couldn't decipher. He glanced at the futon next to his and found Kageyama sitting cross legged. He tried to ask him with his eyes what exactly was going on, but the setter seemed flustered about… something, his cheeks the colour of a tomato and lips pulled down into a scowl.

"So, Hinata~" Tanaka trilled suddenly.

"How'd you sleep~?" Noya finished.

"G-good…?"

"That's good to hear. You need your rest after all." Tanaka nodded wisely.

"R-right…." Hinata nodded, still looking adorably confused.

Tsuki snickered at the orangette. "So… is there something the two of you need to tell us?" He gestured between Hinata and Kageyama.

"What…? What're you talking about?" If he got any more confused, Hinata was sure he'd get a headache.

"You sure? I mean, you seem pretty… _attached."_

Hinata looked at Kageyama in confusion. Only then did his mind register that his hand was…warm. He looked down to see their hands entwined in the space between their futons. The setter had tried valiantly to free his hand earlier, but had been unable to escape the sleeping decoys vice-like grip. It was a mystery to them all how Hinata had slept through it.

Hinata's face went bright red and he pulled his hand away quickly. "I-it's not what you think! I was... I just…" the decoy sputtered desperately.

"I told you guys! Hinata's afraid of needles, so I was comforting him!" Kageyama growled, cheeks the same shade as Hinata's.

"Y-yeah! What he said!"

Several of them laughed at the blushing duo before the doors opened. "Alright guys" Ukai entered "Oh, Hinata you're up." He said when he saw the decoy sitting up in his futon. "Good, Takeda-Sensei has to take you back to the hospital for your follow up."

"Right," Hinata nodded a bit.

"The rest of you, get dressed and head to the gym."

Kageyama stood. "I'll come."

Ukai looked at the setter. "You really shouldn't miss more practice, Kageyama."

"The check up won't take long. I can join once we're back."

"Kageyama…" Hinata shook his head at his partner once he had his attention. "Stay here and practice. After all, you've gotta play for both of us while I'm gone!" he told him with a grin.

The dark haired teen frowned a bit but then nodded. "Right."

Hinata grinned at him and got up. Everyone set to work getting ready, only Hinata not putting on a jersey. He was visibly upset as he pulled on regular clothes, but the team cheered him up by promising that they'd all play extra for him.

By the time Takeda sensei came to collect him, the team was heading to the gym.

"Ready to go, Hinata?"

The teen nodded and they headed out.

XXXXXXX

Entering a gym echoing with the sounds of volleyball should've put a smile on Hinata's face, but it didn't. Not today at least.

Hinata sighed dejectedly as he followed Takeda-sensei over to the bench where he could see Coach Ukai sitting.

"Hey, how'd it go?" Ukai greeted when he saw them. The look on Hinata's face didn't bode well, but he was hopeful.

"The secondary tests all came back clean, so the concussion and bruising is the worst of it. The doctor prescribed some pain meds for when Hinata's head hurts him." Takeda explained.

"Well that's good at least. So, what's the catch?" There was definitely more to it, to have their usually bright and sunny decoy looking so down.

"The doctor also prescribed three weeks of light duties. Hinata isn't supposed to partake in any rigorous activity, with a particular –and very deliberate- emphasis on volleyball."

Ukai sucked his front teeth in frustration and then sighed. "Sorry, Hinata, I won't go against the doctors' orders."

The orangette's shoulders drooped and he gave a sad nod.

"Hey, Hinata's back!" Tanaka had spotted him. They'd just finished a set in their mixed team game and were trading sides on the court.

The bald spiker's announcement caught everyone's attention and they all headed over to the bench.

"How are you feeling?" Someone asked as they gathered around.

"I'm fine" Hinata told them, looking around at the mix of Karasuno and Nekoma players. They were all wearing either red or blue vests, indicating their team.

The coach's had decided it'd be fun to mix up their members a bit, give everyone the chance to work with different players. They thought it'd be a fun way for the boys to learn new tricks and techniques from each other.

Hinata had been so excited for it, so seeing them all there made his mood even worse.

"So… when can you come back and play…?" Sugawara was the one to ask, everyone waiting anxiously for the orangette's answer.

"Three weeks" he murmured.

Kageyama looked like he'd been hit in the gut with a sledge hammer. "Three weeks?!" The setter looked at Takeda-sensei for confirmation and nearly died when the teacher nodded.

Sounds of shock and disbelief spread through the gaggle of high school students as they processed the fact that Hinata – energetic volleyball idiot Hinata- wouldn't be able to play for _three weeks._

Suga, ever the mom friend, did his best to soothe the miserable decoy, rubbing his back and assuring him that the three weeks would fly by.

"You'll be back on the court before you know it!" He told him, hoping to inspire some sort of positivity.

"Yeah, Suga's right!" It was Noya who stepped up to aid the silver haired setter. "I mean, three weeks sucks, but hey! Imagine how much you can do for the team! You can look up the other teams we might be against!"

Tanaka nodded eagerly and took the torch next. "You can be totally cool and do some reconnaissance and then tell us what you seen!"

Everyone seemed to jump on board, offering ideas and encouragement for how Hinata can still be an active team member without being on the court. Some of the ideas were outrageous and downright peaXbrained, but Hinata was smiling again, and that's all that mattered.

Kenma smiled a little to himself as the combined efforts of his team and the Karasuno team brought back that infectious smile.

"I have some movies you can borrow, Shoyo. They're about volleyball, and you can learn some pretty cool techniques that you can teach the rest of the team." Everyone looked at Kenma and he was surprised his voice was even heard over the boisterous crowd.

Hinata looked at him and grinned broadly. "Yeah, that'd be cool! I can be like a coach!"

"Don't you go trying to steal my job, you little punk!" Ukai roared, though it was all in jest.

Tsuki made a snide comment about how Hinata wouldn't be able to coach a little league team, much less _their_ team, and everyone laughed Xthe decoy included.

Kageyama moved closer and took a seat on the bench next to Hinata, crossing his arms. "You'd better work hard! Don't think I'll go easy on you just because you're injured!"

"Right!"

"Good! And you're gonna have to do double the amount of practice when you come back, so be prepared!"

"Sir, yes sir!" Hinata saluted and Kageyama rolled his eyes and elbowed the decoy in the side.

More laughter filled the gym, and the last of the tension was washed away.

XXXXXXX

Hinata sighed softly as he watched from the sidelines as the game continued. The others had certainly raised his spirits, but watching from the bench still sucked.

The orangette looked down at the video game system in his hands. Kenma had lent it to him so he'd have something to do during the game and he'd even managed to clear a few levels on the game, but his attention was inevitably pulled to the sound of volleyballs hitting polished wood.

A pair of black volleyball shoes entered his line of vision and he looked up… and up and up and-

"Oh, hi Lev" he greeted, leaning way back and having to crane his neck to see the half-Russian.

The silver haired first year took a few steps back so Hinata could see him properly before bowing low, hands clenched in tight fists.

"I'm sorry! It's my fault you have to sit out for three weeks."

Hinata blinked in surprise, and then started to laugh. Lev's eyes went wide and he looked at the orangette, bewildered.

Once the decoy was done laughing, he looked at the half Russian. "Why are you apologizing? It's not like you were aiming for my face, right?"

"W-well… no…"

"Then that's that. You didn't mean to spike the ball into my face any more than I'd tried to block with it, so don't go apologizing for something like that."

Lev was at a loss for words as he stared at the literal ball of sunshine and happiness, Hinata Shoyo.

Seeing the flabbergasted expression on Lev's face sent Hinata into another fit of laughter, and this time Lev joined in.

"Thank you, Hinata." Lev spoke once they'd finished laughing.

The decoy grinned. "Don't thank me. Just get out there and play enough for the both of us!"

Lev grinned back and nodded. "I will!" He declared, before the lanky middle blocker bowed and headed back out to the court.

Hinata watched him go with a smile. He honestly didn't blame the other. It's true that if it'd been almost any other player who'd spiked the ball, he'd probably still be playing, but that was inconsequential. He would never blame someone for an accident.

XXXXXXX

The training day was finally winding down as everyone was ushered out of the gyms. It was the Karasuno first years' turn to bathe, so Hinata gathered his things and followed Kageyama to the baths.

"Hey, Kageyama…?"

"What?"

"Why… why did you hold my hand last night?" That question had been on his mind all day, and he wanted an answer.

Kageyama looked away. "You… seemed kind of lost… I didn't want you to get scared or anything…" the setter spoke stiffly.

Something fluttered in the decoys chest and he had to look down to hide his blush. "That's… really sweet of you…" he admitted softly.

"I-It's not! It's what team mates do, right?!" The dark haired teen flailed a bit, seeming flustered.

Hinata looked up at him and grinned. "Right," he nodded.

Kageyama gave a firm nod in response and continued their trek to the baths. Hinata took a moment to ponder when they'd even stopped in the first place, but dismissed it.

XXXXXXX

Hinata hummed a cheery little tune as he rinsed the soap off himself then reached for the shampoo. He slathered it between his hands and started to massage it through his hair, but yelped in pain when his hands crossed the back of his head. If it weren't for the fact that he was already sitting on the shower stool, he'd have fallen to his knees.

The other first years were startled, Yamaguchi even jumping at the sound and all eyes turned to him.

"Hinata, are you ok?"Kageyama asked, appearing at his side. He'd just finished washing and had been headed to the bath.

The decoy gave a weak nod as the back of his head throbbed in pain, making him nearly whimper again.

Seeing the semi-lathered hair and the way Hinata's hands were still frozen in said hair, it wasn't hard to deduce what the problem was.

Kageyama sighed in annoyance. "Idiot, of course the back of your head is tender, you smashed it off the floor." He spoke in an exasperated tone as he moved to stand behind his teammate.

"Here, let me" his voice was harsh but his hands were gentle as he pushed Hinata's hands away. He poured fresh shampoo into his palm, before sliding his fingers into the silky orange locks.

Hinata's eyes widened a bit in surprise, but he didn't fight it as Kageyama massaged in the shampoo with surprisingly gentle hands, the setter taking special care when he got to the back of his head.

Tsuki and Yamaguchi shared a look and a snicker as they watched the scene unfold from the bath.

Once he deemed his hair clean, Kageyama leaned over and turned the shower on. "Get under the water," he ordered. The orangette hummed and stepped under the spray without complaint. Deft fingers once again slid through tangerine strands, washing out the soap.

Kageyama turned the water off once he was done and the volleyball duo made their way to the tub, climbing in.

The shit-eating grins on the faces of Tsuki and Yamaguchi were enough to turn both boys red.

"Oh, don't let us stop you." Tsuki taunted.

"Shut up! I was just helping him so he doesn't hurt himself more!"

"Yeah, 'cause my head hurts!"

Tsuki held his hands up in mock surrender. "Alright, alright, no need to get so defensive." The salty blonde stood up, Yamaguchi following his example as they climbed out of the tub.

"We'll just leave you two love birds alone," Tsuki said as he and Yamaguchi headed to the changing area.

The duo's protests were drowned out by Yamaguchi's laughter.

"Tch, those two are jerks." Hinata grumbled once their fellow first years were out of sight.

Kageyama scowled and nodded his agreement before looking over at Hinata who sunk further into the water, eyes closed and sighing in contentment.

"How's your head?" he asked after a bit.

"Sore," Hinata sighed. There was no use denying it, especially since it wouldn't get him on the court any sooner.

The darker haired teen nodded, even though the other wouldn't see it and took the chance to study the bruising on Hinata's face. Seeing the dark marks on the usually flawless skin made something tighten in his chest and he forced himself to look away.

XXXXXXX

"Aw man, I'm so tired," Tanaka groaned as he flopped onto his futon.

"Me too," Noya sighed, mirroring his friend.

Suga chuckled a bit at them as he finished setting up his own. "It has been a long day" he acquiesced, glancing over to where Hinata was standing, watching Kageyama set up both of their futons. The decoy had gotten a headache while they were bathing and evidently, it wasn't getting any better.

"Hinata, why don't you ask Takeda- sensei for one of the pills the doctor prescribed you" Daichi suggested, seeing the discomfort on their young team mates face.

"Oh, no it's ok, I'm fine." The blatant lie was obvious to everyone, making several raise their eyes in confusion.

"Why not, idiot?!" Kageyama raged. His tone suggested he'd already had this argument with his partner.

Hinata just bit his lip and Suga decided to intervene before the situation could escalate. "Kageyama, yelling isn't going to help his head," he pointed out before looking at Hinata. "Why don't you want to take the pill? It'll help with your headache."

"The doctor said they'll make me really drowsy…" he finally admitted.

"Well then now is the perfect time to take one then, since we're going to bed." Suga gestured to the futons for emphasis.

"…I guess" the decoy finally caved and nodded.

"Good, now go ask Takeda-sensei to give you one." His tone left no room for argument and the orangette nodded, heading out to find the teacher.

"How do you _do_ that?" Asahi asked once the decoy was gone.

"It's because he's the mom," Tanaka said matter-of-factly. Suga shot him a glare but everyone just laughed.

XXX

Hinata bit his lip as he looked at the deceivingly innocent pill in his palm. It was small and white and sent shivers down his spine.

"Just take it."

He startled and looked over at Kageyama who was sitting up in the futon next to his. The setter looked calm and determined, making Hinata nod nervously. He grabbed the bottle of water Takeda had given him along with the pill and opened it.

It took a few tries, but the pill went down eventually and Hinata stuck his tongue out in disgust.

Satisfied that his partner had taken the pill, Kageyama lay down and pulled his blanket up, Hinata doing the same.

"Good night, everyone." Suga murmured. The team responded in kind and settled in for the night.

No one noticed the way Hinata's hand slithered out from under his blankets, or how Kageyama's hand met it in the middle.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

A/N: THIS CHAPTER WAS A PAIN TO WRITE.

More specifically, the scene between Hinata and Lev. It was deleted and rewritten like 7000 (4) times, so I apologize if it sucks or they're OOC. I tried Dx.

Anyways, please review! Reviews feed the plot bunnies. :)


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